


Plenty of Time

by karathegoddess



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Garrus and Wrex being worried, Hurt/Comfort, POV Garrus Vakarian, Pre-Shepard/Garrus Vakarian, Shepard is a badass, me1 thresher maws are a pain in the ass
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 20:02:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29301594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karathegoddess/pseuds/karathegoddess
Summary: Very close and gruesome battle with a Thresher Maw. Garrus realizes he has a crush on his Commander. One chapter Shepard's POV , One Garrus' POV.
Relationships: Pre Shepard/Garrus Vakarian
Kudos: 1





	1. Taking em Out From the Inside

Commander Shepard swerved the mako narrowly missing a shot of brownish yellow venom that splashed on the ground behind them sizzling on the rocks. The Thresher Maw cried out before burrowing back under ground and Shepard slammed on the breaked. Normally everyone hated the Commander’s driving. And although Shepard acknowledged her regular driving ability was worthy of ridicule, everyone also knew damn well they couldn’t maneuver the mako around enemies like she could.   
Wrex and Garrus looked around wildly unknowing where it was to emerge next. As soon as it broke the earth’s surface, Shepard was driving again. Wrex popped off a few shots in rapid succession as Shepard circled the alien.   
“Wrex needs to get in closer, Commander!” Garrus said.   
“Got it,” She continued the speed and closed the distance, but ready to peel away at any minute if needed. More shots echoed from the Mako’s gun and the Thresher Maw let out an ear splitting shriek.   
“I hit it!” Wrex shouted excitedly. It quickly retreated back underground and Shepard brought the Mako to screeching halt.   
“If it’s already wounded, let’s finish this on foot.” Shepard said. “You boys ready?” The Commander pushed up the hatch and hopped out sliding down the hood. The Thresher hadn’t resurfaced just yet. The windy snow blew around the air, but didn’t appear to stick to the strange purple pigmented ground of the planet. Garrus shuddered at the temperature. Shepard tried to hold in her chuckle of how adorably miserable his expression was. She couldn’t forget the amount of times he had complained about the cold in Noveria. He was certainly not happy now.   
“Why can’t we fight these things in tropical locations?”   
“Why do turians complain so much?” Wrex loaded his gun with a new thermal clip.   
“Maybe it’s solely in spite of you, Vakarian.” Both of her men chuckled in response as the three of them pressed their back against each other covering all angels. The dialogue did little to ease the anxiety of waiting for the Thresher Maw to surface. The wind howled, the mako’s engine purred, but everything seemed still.   
“Maybe Wrex’s blast actually killed-” Before the Turian could finish his sentence the ground rumbled beneath their feet, nearly knocking them all over. Shepard dug her heels in the ground and the Thresher Maw penetrated the rocks and soil in front of Wrex. He instinctively fired on the target as Shepard and Garrus followed suit. Garrus had to dive the opposite direction, away from them, out of the way of the projectile venom. Shepard barely had time to comprehend the Thresher Maw hurtling toward the Krogan when she stepped in front. Using her biotics, she pushed Wrex back toward Garrus continuing to discharge her weapon as she was engulfed in darkness.   
No, it wasn’t dark. Not completely, a long blue tongue that seemed to go all the way down as far as she could see. The air was hot and thick. Despite her oxygen suit, Shepard could still smell the nauseating scent somewhere between vomit and rancid meat. The Thresher tilted it’s head back to swallow her. Shepard flailed as she started to fall. Thinking quickly, she reached for the knife in her belt and embedded it in the fleshy blue glowing tongue. Shepard could feel the vibration of it’s scream rattle her bones. Shepard looked down into the dark abyss below and only narrowly avoided the venomous spit. Only since the creature's head was still tilted upward, the acid fell back down seeming to hurt it. It shrieked and jolted as the venom came back down, a small amount splashing Shepard thigh and she cried out in her helmet as it sizzled through her armour and flesh.   
No way could she die now. Not to this stupid Thresher Maw. Not when Saren was out there. Not when the Galaxy was still in danger. The Commander tried to think. Climb out? It was too far up, she’d never make it and she could easily fall especially with that damn injured leg. Her bicep began to tremble with exertion. She was running out of time. There was only so long she could maintain such a grip. She was grateful Garrus had gifted her the combat knife. Ironically she hadn’t thought she’d really ever need it. Shepard made a mental note to thank Turian when she got out of this mess. Her arm threatened to give out, but the handle of the knife wasn’t long enough for both of her hands.  
Shepard lit up at an idea. Without wasting any time she slapped a grenade on the glowing blue flesh just above her head and threw one up farther closer to the opening of its mouth. The adhesive on the back of the grenade stuck like glue, unphased by the slick saliva. Shepard used the last bit of her strength to summon a biotic shield to protect her as she detonated the grenades.   
The explosion cracked the visor of Shepard’s helmet and hot liquid dripped down her forehead in her left eye obscuring her vision. Oxygen seemed to leave her lungs as her body flew through the air and everything was a blur until she saw the strange purple dirt growing closer, she quickly braced for impact, tucking her head and rolling forward to avoid injury to her ankle. She was in too much pain and far too exhausted however to land the summersault and let herself sprawl on her back, wind knocked out of her. Shepard didn’t move. She stared at the gray sky and the snowflakes that fell on her, melting into the blue bioluminescent blood and bits of flesh that splattered her armour. She struggled to suck in air, while her white knuckles still clasped the combat knife.   
She blinked as Wrex came into view, but her left eye was still shrouded in darkness. Had she blinded it during the blast? Despite how strong the krogan was, he was gentle while lifting Shepard and cradling his friend. He was talking to her, but she couldn’t hear it, her ears still ringing from the explosion. He presumably barked for Garrus who sprinted over. His voice was muffled and he got to work quickly using his omni-tool to analyse her. Shepard gasped for air and somehow Garrus looked more in pain than she was. There was only so much time a human could go without oxygen. The two appeared to be having an argument. Not an unusual occurrence, but when Shepard’s life hung in the balance she would have hoped the two idiots could hold it together. Wrex brighted as though an idea had stuck him. He spoke agitatedly into his comms while anxiously smearing the crack in her helmet with medi-gel as well. It was smart. If it could keep liquids like blood inside, it could also keep air. Shepard couldn’t make out a lot despite the translator in her ear, it sounded a thousand miles away. He was probably calling Normandy. Her head pounded and her leg throbbed.   
She could make out the wiring of the Normandy, though much quieter than normal. Shepard stubbornly sat upright in Wrex’s arms while Garrus tried to extract the venom from her wound with some little mass effect field in his first aid kit.   
The ringing had started to subside because as Wrex stood, Garrus swore at him. Loudly perhaps, but Shepard heard it. He had still been applying medi-gel and securing bandages, but the sudden movement had caused the injury on Shepard’s leg to begin weeping, the motion had caused a sharp burning pain in the area. Garrus held pressure on it with a bandage while Wrex carried Shepard to the opening door of the Normandy. Shepard made out Ashely running towards them through one eye.   
“Commander!” She called, worry etching her tone. She turned to Garrus. “Chakwas is waiting, I’ve got the Mako. Go!” It was the first full sentence Shepard had heard in its entirety. It was muffled and the ringing made it difficult, but Shepard felt a sense of relief that she hadn’t fucked up her hearing permanently. She was rushed forward and into the elevator. Garrus and Wrex waited until the door closed before removing their helmets. The Normandy jostled as the hanger doors must have shut so Wrex knelt back down on the floor, for fear of dropping his commander.  
“Why is this thing so damn slow?!” Garrus hissed as he pulled off Shepard’s helmet, blood had gushed so hard down her temple, it dripped on the floor. Wrex didn’t respond, but he seemed equally displeased with the speed of the elevator. Especially given the alarming rate crimson streamed down her head despite Garrus’ attempt to staunch the flow.  
“Thanks for the knife, Vakarian.” Shepard wheezed. It sounded like she was underwater so it was difficult to tell if he’d been able to hear. A small smile peered through Garrus’ blind concern as he tried to mop the blood from her eye.   
“I told you it would come in handy.”  
“Damn glad I listened,” Shepard had to pause as taking seemed to use up too much oxygen.   
“Easy, Shepard. I’ll say ‘I told you so’ when you’re okay.”   
Chakwas was waiting with a litter at the ready as the door slid open. Wrex gingerly placed the Commander on the stretcher. Garrus and Chakwas exchanged medical jargon that Shepard couldn’t understand regularly, let alone with the high pitch buzzing in her ear. Chakwas injected her arm with something. The med bay’s fluorescent lights were blinding next to the murky purple planet. Her bed wheeled in and secured. Chakwas retrieved a cart of various surgical tools. Shepard’s nose detected the sharp sting of alcohol as the room began to blur. For some reason she was frightened of the dots on the edge of her vision and reached up. Garrus caught her hand.   
“Easy Commander,” Chakwas tried to sooth.  
“It’s okay, Shepard. We’ve got you.” If Garrus had her, maybe it would be okay.


	2. Feelings Realized

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garrus realizes his full feelings for Shepard as she recovers.

Garrus handed Chakwas the tweezers. If it hadn’t been for Shepard’s helmet, the shrapnel wouldn’t have been able to slow. Without her helmet, it would have gone through her skull. But it didn’t, Garrus reminded himself. He looked up at the door, Wrex was probably around the corner. He knew Shepard would be pissed with him if he didn’t apologize for snapping at him. Garrus had been so blinded by worry, he had acted out. Especially since Wrex most likely felt responsible, Garrus should have taken more heed in his words. Of course he didn’t blame Wrex. No one did. If the Commander decided to save you, you were being saved. Period. Nobody could dissuade Commander Shepard.   
When the Thresher Maw had first grabbed Shepard, the Turian and Krogan had just stood there in shock. They had thought she was dead. When the thing couldn’t tilt its head back down to normal position was when the two of them realized how stupid they had been. Of course Shepard wasn’t dead. That was probably impossible. They kept the Thresher busy, waiting for whatever convoluted plan Shepard would concoct to get out. He had to admit he hadn’t seen the grenade coming.   
The shock and terror when he had thought the thresher maw had gulped her down returned tenfold when he had heard Wrex bellow that he’d found her injured. The way Garrus’ heart shuddered when she struggled to breath. The way she had cried out when Wrex had stood causing him to wince. Each grunt and pained cry felt like a stab wound.   
Dr. Chakwas placed three pieces of shrapnel in the small bowl Garrus held before stitching down Shepard’s eyebrow with a delicate precision. The extra fingers were useful for things like that. It was going to leave a scar for certain. If someone asked, he couldn’t wait to tell them it was because Shepard had blown up a thresher maw from inside it’s throat.  
He helped Chakwas flush out the venom in Shepard's leg, before applying several ointments and neatly bandaging it up. He stayed with Shepard long after they had finished. She breathed softly through an oxygen mask. Just a precaution due to the cracked helmet. Garrus found it funny how peaceful she looked while she slept. She didn’t look like the almighty Specter or the Hero of the Skyllian Blitz or even his Commander. She just looked like Shepard. Like his friend. The word sent a pang through his chest. The word 'friend' did not summarize his feelings for Shepard properly, but he couldn't figure out what would.   
“Hey,” Dr. Chakwas said. “You should get some sleep, Garrus.”   
“That’s alright, Doctor.”   
“How would the Commander feel about you overworking yourself? I wouldn’t want to have to tell her…” Chakwas’ smile had shifted into a mischievous grin.   
“Does the sweet old lady persona fool everyone?” Garrus joked.   
“Of course.” She piped. “I promise, I’ll send someone to get you if she wakes.” Dr. Chakas paused as Garrus stood from his seat, contemplating. “If you don’t mind me asking how long have you two…”   
“Oh no! No, it’s not-we’re not-I-” Garrus paused to get a hold of his stammer and hoped it would be harder for a human to spot his blue flushed cheeks.   
“My apologies for assuming then.” He didn’t appreciate that Chakwas was clearly having far too much enjoyment and she didn’t look sorry at all.   
“Just-let me know when she wakes up,” Garrus said, turning his back and leaving medbay. He went to his bunk and laid down. Wrex laid down in his own bed and glanced up at him.   
“How is she?”  
“The Commander’s tough. She’ll be fine.” Garrus paused. “...and I’m sorry about earlier. I was worried and angry and I took it out on you. That was...unworthy of me.” He said genuinely. Wrex chuckled.   
“It takes a lot more than some pretty words to upset me.” He answered. “But, thanks. Now get some sleep so Shepard doesn’t think I gave you those black eyes.” Garrus laughed and turned over on the bunk looking at the ceiling for a while before drifting to sleep.   
He awoke to a light nudge on his arm. It was gentle, but firm. He blinked groggily to see Liara. She appeared uncomfortable, but stopped as soon as Garrus stirred.   
“Dr. Chakwas instructed me to wake you once the Commander was up.” She said. Garrus sat up quickly, the residual fatigue falling away like scales. He noticed Wrex’s lower bunk lay vacant  
“She’s awake?”   
“Yes. She appears to be doing well. Much thanks to you.” Garrus crammed on his boots and followed Liara back to Medbay. He waited for the automatic doors to part to see Wrex hugging Shepard. The two had an understanding that Garrus didn’t think another krogan had to any other alien in the galaxy. He didn’t want to intrude, but also didn’t want to turn away either, so he remained silent. Wrex let go and gave her arm a playful punch.   
“No more almost dying for me, okay Shepard?”   
“You never let me have any fun.” She crossed her arms and pouted. The two laughed. Garrus’ heart thumped at the sound of Shepard’s laugh.   
“When you’re done laying around, we can go kill some more-”   
“She’s hardly ‘laying around’” Dr. Chakwas protested. He smiled at Shepard who rolled her eyes. Garrus walked forward and Wrex nodded once before taking his leave from the room. Dr. Chakwas’ eyes swivelled between Garrus and Shepard then at Liara near the door.  
“Oh, Liara, there you are!” Dr. Chakwas exclaimed. “I’ve been looking for you to help me with something.”  
“But it was you that instructed me to retrieve Garrus-”  
“Uh, yes, come on.”   
“By the Goddess you are strong.” Liara said as the Doctor toed the Asari out of the room. Garrus had no doubt it was for his benefit. He’d been thinking about what Chakwas said. Not just because of that. Because of a lot of reasons. Because when he looked at Shepard, he didn’t just see his Commander. He saw the woman he respected most in the Galaxy. His friend. No that still didn't fit. He remembered Kaiden telling him about something. When you liked someone. More than friends, but you weren't together? 'Crush'. That was the word. He had a crush on Shepard.   
“I’ve never seen you so high strung, Garrus. You okay?” She asked. Leave it to Shepard to almost be eaten by an alien and to check up on everyone. Her dark red curl hung loose cascading over her shoulders. Normally it was piled in a slick military bun. He hadn’t initially known her air was capable of change like that. Not until after a return to the normandy she had taken the elastic out for her thick curls to poof out in every direction. Her hair was a bit more tame now. He was enticed by it. It seemed soft and he couldn’t help, but crave to touch it and was absolutely stunning on her.  
What was he thinking? She was his Commanding officer. Besides that she was his friend. He didn’t want to ruin that or make things awkward. After every mission that took a toll on Shepard, Garrus would find her in the closed room opposite of medbay, sitting quietly at her table, drinking. He offered her company every time. At first she refused, but after Feros instead of her usual brush off she had scoffed sadly at him.   
“This stuff any good for turians?” She had produced a bottle of turian wine. Sweet, cheap, crap, but it had still got him numbed to her level. She broke down and told him everything. Guilt had washed her since she’d accidentally killed someone under the influence of the Thorian. One person. She’d saved the whole damn colony, but she couldn’t feel victorious. Since then he was always invited to these bull sessions.   
One of which she ranted about the difficult position Kaiden and Liara put her in. She didn’t reciprocate any feelings to either of them, but she feared either of them could still get fired for fraternization if a rumor hit the wrong way. He couldn’t add to this. Shepard had the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders as it was. Garrus couldn’t be selfish enough to burden her further. As much as he wanted to. “Garrus?” She said again.   
“It’s nothing, Shepard. You just gave us all quite a shock.”   
“Aw, worried about me, Vakarian?” She teased.   
“A little.” She raised her eyes in disbelief. “Okay a lot. But someone has to be.”   
“I’m alright, Garrus.” She said and then smiled. Garrus couldn’t help, but think what a beautiful feature it was and he felt the blood rush to his cheeks again. “But thank you,”   
“How’s Wrex? Seemed like he was taking it a bit personally.” Garrus said quickly averting his gaze as he sat down.   
“Oh, I’m sure next fire fight he’ll be jumping in front of all my bullets.”  
“Problematic if he gets hurt, but potentially the most indestructible shield in the galaxy,” Garrus laughed. Shepard’s voice chorused his own.   
“He promised he won’t get hurt, so I’m thinking I just have an indestructible krogan meat shield.”  
“Saren better be scared of us if he isn’t already,”   
“Hey, do you have any alcohol?” Shepard asked tucking some curls behind her ear.   
“Are you allowed to drink right now?” He asked.   
“I won’t tell if you won’t.” Garrus and Shepard continued to talk and laugh. He wasn’t going to say anything. Not now. Not when things between them were so good. He didn’t want to rock the boat. He’d tell her at some point relatively soon. Maybe after Saren had a few bullets in his head. That would be nice. She wouldn’t be so stressed and there might actually be a chance. Until then though, he’d just be with his friend.   
It wasn’t like Shepard was going anywhere, so he had plenty of time.


End file.
